KUALA LUMPUR: The Danish pop band Michael Learns To Rock (MLTR) has sold more than 10 million albums, performed in packed stadiums and spawned a string of soaring ballads that echo every night through countless karaoke bars.

But the trio's success belies a curious facet of its two-decade career. Michael Learns To Rock remains unknown in the United States and much of Europe but retains a legion of fans far away in Asia.

Vocalist Jascha Richter and drummer Kare Wanscher said in an interview in Kuala Lumpur this week that they feel privileged to be embraced in Asia and have no regrets about failing in their early efforts to find fame in America.